Chapter Text
It was the third day at the cabin before Scotty said anything.
“You’re getting a bit stubbly, love,” he said and ran his fingers across McCoy’s chin. McCoy shrugged.
“We’re on vacation,” was all the doctor answered.
Another two days passed before Scotty said anything else.
“So…?” he let his hand rest on McCoy’s cheek while they lounged on the couch in front of the fire. “This is staying?”
McCoy chuckled. “We’re on leave. Why should I bother with regulations?”
“Spock would have a heyday with you,” Scotty smiled.
“If you don’t like it, I’ll go shave,” McCoy said hesitantly.
“No. No it’s fine,” Scotty said quickly. “Just unexpected. I kinda like it. It suits you.”
McCoy stretched out further on the couch and pulled Scotty with him.
Two more days passed and Scotty came in from working on his project outside. McCoy was in the kitchen baking. His sleeves were rolled up and he was working at kneading a ball of dough. Scotty’s breath caught and he could do nothing but stare.
McCoy finally looked up.
“You gonna get your coat off? Or drop snow everywhere?” he smiled.
“Huh? What? Oh! Yes,” said Scotty and he began to take off his outside gear.
“You alright?” McCoy asked, glancing up from the dough again.
“Uh huh,” Scotty managed.
He had torn his eyes away to get his boots off, but now he was staring again. What was wrong? He’d come inside plenty the last few days and McCoy had been baking, or decorating cookies, or, or… Scotty couldn’t get his thoughts straight.
His feet took him towards McCoy. He wrapped his arms around the doctor’s middle.
“How much more attention does that dough need?” he asked. “Cause I think I want some attention.” Scotty nuzzled his face into McCoy’s neck. He pulled back a little as hairs tickled his nose.
A realization hit him, and he laughed.
“What are you laughing about?” McCoy asked, turning his head to try to look at Scotty.
Scotty let go and moved next to McCoy, mumbling a string of Gaelic.
“I didn’t catch all that,” McCoy raised an eyebrow.
Scotty’s face flushed. He didn’t want to admit that coming inside to see McCoy with his sleeves up, baking, with that beard growing was insanely attractive.
McCoy’s hands stopped their kneading and he turned his body to face Scotty.
“You sure you’re alright leannan?” he asked as he wiped his hands with a dish towel.
Scotty took a deep breath. He hadn’t felt this flustered around his love since before they had admitted their feelings for each other. He was staring again.
“Monty?”
“Christ Len, do you know how hot you look like that?” Scotty blurted out. His face heated rapidly.
McCoy looked down self consciously. “What? Like what?”
Scotty lunged forward and wrapped his arms around McCoy’s neck as he kissed him. After a second McCoy returned the embrace. Scotty’s hands made their way from McCoy’s neck to cup his face.
McCoy suddenly pulled back.
“Oh!” he exclaimed and began to laugh.
“What?” Scotty asked.
McCoy grinned through his laughter. “I take it you really like it,” he said and stroked a hand down his chin. “Let me get that dough covered, and then how ‘bout I meet you upstairs for that attention you wanted?”
Scotty’s knees went weak and he nodded mutely.
McCoy was upstairs somewhere when Scotty yelled that he was getting ready to head out. Their two weeks had been fun together, but the rest of the crew was arriving soon. Scotty was going to pick them up in town. He had thought McCoy was still in the kitchen working on dinner and was surprised the kitchen was empty.
“Just a minute,” he heard McCoy call from upstairs. Scotty was finishing wrapping his scarf when he heard steps on the stairs. His mouth dropped open as he looked up and watched McCoy come down.
“You… you shaved!” he exclaimed. Disappointment flooded in for some reason.
McCoy rubbed a hand across his face. “You’re the one who said Spock would have a fit,” McCoy smiled.
“But… but you didn’t have to. We’re still on leave,” Scotty protested.
“Maybe I don’t want anyone else to see you eyeballing me the way you have the last two weeks,” McCoy drawled in Scotty’s ear as he embraced him.
Scotty swallowed hard. He could be late getting their friends? Right? He could say the roads were bad? He leaned into his love for a kiss.
But that was all. A buzzer sounded in the kitchen and McCoy pulled back.
“Go on,” McCoy said as he headed for the kitchen. “Drive safe.”
Scotty nodded, then sighed and headed out the door. He couldn’t wait to be back with their friends and back next to McCoy where he belonged.